Trying to figure out if Arby’s french fries are vegan can be a bit challenging.
Arby’s, like many other fast food restaurants, have a variety of fried foods that often have many different ingredients, some of which may contain animal products or by-products.
To ensure that you are only eating foods and supporting brands that align with your vegan ethics and diet, I’ve looked into the ingredients and production processes of Arby’s fries.
Here’s what I found out.
Are Arby’s Fries Vegan?
Yes! Arby’s Curly Fries are vegan.
Arby’s delicious curly fries do not contain any animal ingredients and are cooked in vegetable oil.
An important fact to note, though, is that while the curly fries themselves are vegan, they are cooked in the same fryer and oil as their chicken products, increasing the chance of cross contamination.
Most vegans are fine with this because eating food that is cooked in the same oil as animal products does not really increase the demand for animal products or support the animal agriculture industry.
However, depending on how deeply committed you are to veganism, you may want to avoid eating Arby’s fries.
If you are one of those vegans who tries to avoid all animal products as much as possible, and you don’t want to eat anything that may have had contact with animal products, you might want to avoid their fries.
Are Arby’s Fries Cruelty-Free?
Yes, Arby’s French fries are cruelty-free since they aren’t tested on animals nor do the fries contain any ingredient that is tested on animals, like artificial colors or flavors.
However, it is important to note that Arby’s does not use sustainable palm oil in its products, which means that the production of its fries is contributing to the destruction of rainforests and the displacement of indigenous people.
So, if you are trying to live a cruelty-free lifestyle, you might want to find another fast food place that uses sustainable palm oil in its products.
What Are Arby’s Fries Made Of?
Here are the ingredients of Arby’s Curly Fries:
- Potatoes
- Rice flour
- Dextrin
- Salt
- Yellow corn meal
Vegetable oil:
- Canola
- Palm
- Soybean
- Sunflower
- Garlic powder
Modified food starch
- Potato
- Corn
- Tapioca
Leavening agents
- Disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate
- Sodium bicarbonate
- Dextrose
- Xanthan gum
Let’s break down each ingredient of Arby’s Fries:
Potatoes
Potatoes are the main ingredient of Arby’s Fries. They are a great source of carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Potatoes are vegan.
Rice flour
Rice flour is a type of flour made from finely milled rice. It is often used as a gluten-free alternative to wheat flour. This ingredient is vegan.
Dextrin
Dextrin is a type of soluble dietary fiber that is often used as a food thickener. Dextrin is a vegan ingredient.
Salt
Salt is a mineral, and therefore does not come from or contain animal products or by-products. The type of salt found in Arby’s Fries is sodium chloride, which is considered vegan.
Yellow cornmeal
Yellow cornmeal is a type of flour made from finely ground corn. It is often used in baking and as a thickener. Cornmeal is a vegan ingredient.
Garlic powder
Garlic powder is a type of dried and powdered garlic. It is often used as a seasoning or spice. This ingredient is vegan.
Canola oil
Canola oil is a type of vegetable oil made from the canola plant. This ingredient is vegan.
Palm oil
Palm oil is a type of vegetable oil that is extracted from the fruit of the African oil palm tree. This ingredient is vegan, but it’s a controversial ingredient because of its negative environmental impact, which includes destroying the habitats of endangered species, including the orangutan.
Soybean oil
Soybean oil is a type of vegetable oil made from the soybean plant. This ingredient is vegan.
Sunflower oil
Sunflower oil is a type of vegetable oil made from the sunflower plant. This ingredient is vegan.
Modified food starch
Modified food starch is a type of starch that has been treated to change its properties, such as its viscosity, texture, or stability. This ingredient is vegan.
Potato starch
Potato starch is a type of starch that is extracted from potatoes. This ingredient is vegan.
Cornstarch
Cornstarch is a type of starch that is extracted from corn. This ingredient is vegan.
Tapioca starch
Tapioca starch is a type of starch that is extracted from the cassava plant. This ingredient is vegan.
Disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate
Disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate is a type of salt that is often used as a food additive. This ingredient is vegan.
Sodium bicarbonate
Sodium bicarbonate is a type of salt that is often used as a leavening agent. This ingredient is vegan.
Dextrose
Dextrose is a type of sugar that is often used as a food additive. This ingredient is vegan.
Xanthan gum
Xanthan gum is a type of polysaccharide that is often used as a food thickener. This ingredient is vegan.
Why Are Arby’s Fries Vegan?
Arby’s Curly Fries are vegan because they do not contain any animal products or by-products.
The only ingredients in Arby’s fries are potatoes, rice flour, dextrin, salt, vegetable oil, and seasonings. All of these ingredients are vegan.
So, if you’re looking for vegan options at Arby’s, their curly fries are a great choice.
Are Arby’s French Toast Sticks Vegan?
No. Arby’s French Toast Sticks are not vegan because of the refined sugar and the ever vague natural and artificial flavors.
Refined sugar is often filtered with animal bone char, which makes it not vegan.
Also, natural and artificial flavors can mean anything and sometimes contain animal products.
This product is not safe for vegans to consume.
Is Arby’s Sauce Vegan?
Well, it depends on which sauce you’re talking about.
Arby’s has both vegan and non-vegan sauces. The vegan-friendly ones are the tangy BBQ dipping sauce, Arby’s sauce, marinara, bronco, red ranch, smoky Q, spicy three pepper, and ketchup.
The non-vegan sauces are the buffalo dipping sauce, dijon honey mustard dressing, robust marinara, and horsey sauce. All of these sauces contain egg, milk, and honey.
Are Arby’s Sweet Potato Waffle Fries Vegan?
Yes! The Sweet Potato Waffle Fries at Arby’s are vegan. The product has very basic ingredients and does not contain any animal products or by-products. It is, however, a “special item,” not a permanent menu item, so it’s subject to change.
Are Arby’s Potato Cakes Vegan?
Yes! Arby’s Potato Cakes are vegan. They do not contain any animal products or by-products and have very basic ingredients.
This product is safe for vegans to consume.
Final Word
Arby’s vegan options are few and far between, but their curly fries are a great choice if you’re in a pinch. This fry product is 100% vegan because all of its ingredients are plant based and it doesn’t contain any animal products or by-products. So, if you’re craving some fast food and are looking for a vegan-friendly option, Arby’s Curly Fries are the way to go!